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Policy board approves Windham transit expansion, four TIP amendments and signs on as PROTECT grant subrecipient
Summary
The board approved four transportation TIP amendments — including a $49 million Windham Regional Transit District facility expansion with electric-bus charging capacity — and authorized CROG to sign a subrecipient contract to participate in a PROTECT resilience planning grant led by NVCOG.
The policy board voted to approve four amendments to the region’s Transportation Improvement Program and approved a resolution allowing the Council to act as a subrecipient on a regional PROTECT (resilience improvement planning) grant.
Robert (Rob) summarized the TIP amendments: the largest is a $49,000,000 expansion of the Windham Regional Transit District facility to double its size and include charging stations for 50 vehicles; the project is funded primarily by a competitive FTA Low-No grant with a state match. Two other amendments allocate design funds: roughly $3,000,000 to replace traffic signals at 17 locations across ten municipalities using STP Anywhere funds, and about $1,000,000 for design of noise barriers and guide rails on I‑84 using National Highway Performance Program funds (Plainville). The fourth amendment provides design funds for a bridge/ramp in poor condition in East Hartford using national bridge replacement funding.
On the PROTECT grant, staff said NVCOG was the official applicant for a resilience improvement planning grant for interior COGs and that approving the resolution would permit the executive director to sign a contract with NVCOG so the region could receive subrecipient funding.
John Coleman moved and David Porter seconded the TIP amendments; members asked about related route coverage and procurement risks for electric buses. Rob acknowledged procurement and lead-time challenges for electric bus purchases. The board approved the TIP amendments and then approved the PROTECT subrecipient resolution by voice votes.
Funding sources cited during the discussion included FTA Low-No competitive funding, STP Anywhere, National Highway Performance Program funds and national bridge replacement funding.
